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Hamtramck mayoral election from 2025 overturned after 37 disputed mail ballots are counted
Votebeat • • nation
Key Points:
- Adam Alharbi, initially declared mayor of Hamtramck after winning by 11 votes, is set to lose his position following the counting of 37 previously excluded absentee ballots, which now show Muhith Mahmood leading by 12 votes.
- The absentee ballots were excluded initially due to chain-of-custody concerns after being found open but sealed in the clerk’s office, leading to legal battles that delayed their counting for nearly a year.
- Mahmood, who may become Hamtramck’s first Bangladeshi mayor, thanked election officials and emphasized the importance of democracy and voter rights, while Alharbi alleges election malfeasance and plans to request a recount.
- Mahmood’s ability to take office remains uncertain due to a pending court case challenging his residency eligibility, with allegations that he lives outside city limits, potentially delaying certification of the election results.
- The process to resolve the mayoral dispute, including potential recounts and certification, is expected to take several more weeks and could extend into the November midterm election period.
